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The setting in Hills Like White Elephants gives us some hints on the contents of the story. A white elephant means an unwanted gift that its hard to get rid of, much like an unexpected child. The hills across the valley are white without trees or any other indication of life, just like the relationship between the American and the girl which only revolves around look at things and trying new drinks. The Girls in Their Summer Dress begins by describing a warm Sunday morning on 5 th Avenue, the reader has no idea to the events that will follow. The difference between the two stories lies in the fact the Hemingway chose to use symbolism while Shaw chose irony. In both stories we dont get many details about the main characters and both stories are about a couple facing a problem in their relationship.
The characters in The Girls in Their Summer Dresses are very simple so the story can be a more general comment on human relationship. Michael doesnt go through any changes, he stares at any woman that walks near him in the beginning of the story as well as in the end. Frances on the other hand thinks she has a happy marriage but realizes that shes just another object to her husband and he treats her just like he treats any other woman he sees. In Hills Like White Elephants we mostly get hints about the characters feelings and thoughts, we never get to know the Americans name and only halfway through the story we learn that the girls name is Jig. We are not told what is the operation that they are talking about.
The American wants to keep living the same life style they always lived, just wandering from one place to another without any commitment and that is why he try to persuade the girl to go through the operation. The girl seems to be happy in the beginning but it becomes clear that shes tired from their way of life and wants to have the child and settle down. Each story presents a different problem. In Hills Like White Elephants the girl is pregnant and wants to keep the child and settle down, while the American wants her to have an abortion so they could keep traveling. In The Girls in Their Summer Dresses Michael is always looking at other women and Frances realizes that Michael only sees her as an object and will eventually leave her.
Irwin Shaw used irony in Girls in Their Summer Dresses. In the beginning everything seems fine but as the story progresses we learn that things arent really as good as they seem and in the last sentence we reach the peak of the story as we get to know Michaels true feelings towards Frances. I think that the key moment in Hills Like White Elephants is when the girl looks at the trees along the Ebro and at the Fields of grain, and says And we could have everything and every day we make it more impossible. She clearly states her wish to move from the barren life shes having to a more fertile one. The American response shows that he doesnt listen to her needs and only thinks about himself. The entire story revolves around this and can be summarized with these sentences.
Both stories are about the relationship between men and women. Hemingway tells us that a relationship can succeed only if both people will be honest with each other and have the same goals in life. Shaw's theme is similar, Michael is only interested in physical attraction while Frances wishes a deeper meaningful relationship and thats why the relationship will fail.
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Research essay sample on Hills Like White Elephants Hills Like White Story
